History

The College of Intensive Care Medicine was established in 2008 and formally took over the responsibility for training and certification of intensive care specialists from the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine on 1st January 2010.

Prior to 2001, two training programs in intensive care medicine were available in Australia and New Zealand. The Faculty of Anaesthetists (RACS) commenced a training and examination system in intensive care in 1976. The training program consisted of four years and two examinations. In 1992, the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists was formed and the Council established a Faculty of Intensive Care in 1993, responsible for the conduct of all intensive care education. The Royal Australasian College of Physicians established a training program in intensive care at approximately the same time as the Faculty of Anaesthetists RACS.

In 1996, a Joint Specialist Advisory Committee (Intensive Care) between the Faculty of Intensive Care and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians was created, under the Chairmanship of the Dean, Dr Geoff Clarke. The aim was to develop a single training program for the specialty, and to supervise all intensive care trainees on behalf of the two bodies. This aim was realised in 2001, with the establishment of the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine. An elected Board took office in February 2002, with Dr Felicity Hawker as the Inaugural Dean. The Joint Faculty was housed at Ulimaroa, 630 St Kilda Road as part of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.

College Coat of Arms

The College Coat of Arms was developed with the intention to signify the bond that the College has to its geographic origin, its historic links to the College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) and the College of Physicians (RACP), its place as an institute of learning in the broad field of medicine and the specific role that intensive care medicine plays in caring for the sickest patients.

The shield contains the Southern Cross, which is symbolic of our geographic place and is also present in the flags of Australia and New Zealand (in slightly differing form) and the ANZCA Coat of Arms. Also on the shield is a pair of hands to symbolize the caring for the whole person that is implicit to intensive care medicine and Leonardo’s Vitruvian man. This ‘ideal of human proportion’, as described by Vitruvius and drawn by Leonardo, is said to exemplify the blend of art and science characteristic of the renaissance period and also, perhaps, of intensive care medicine.

The crest is similar to the crests of ANZCA and RACP and shows a hand holding a Rod of Asclepius in front of a rising sun.

The supporters are distinctive avian fauna, representative of the two countries, the Lyrebird for Australia and the Tui (or Parson bird) for New Zealand.

The supporters stand on a compartment separated by water (The Tasman Sea) with Wattle and Silver Fern (respectively) at their feet, similar to the ANZCA Coat of Arms.

The motto ‘scientia sapientia cura’ was decided on after extensive consultation with the Fellowship, and a competition inviting suggestions. The Latin words are a translation of ‘caring with knowledge and wisdom’.